The Piano
by tika12001
Summary: In 01x01, Hoyt made a reference to Jane playing the piano. This is a story based around that. Rizzles if you squint. Thanks goes to Isababisa for the prompt :-)


**Title: The Piano**

**Rating: G**

**Author: tika12001**

**Summary: In 01x01, Hoyt made a reference to Jane playing the piano. This is a story based around that. Thanks goes to ****_Isababisa_**** for the prompt :-)**

I hadn't even walked into the house yet when I felt it looking at me. You may think that crazy, and perhaps it is, but I felt it to be true. It had no eyes, ears, voice, or pulse to speak of, but it was alive. Somehow it was alive. And it called to me.

I was quite grateful I was at the back of the group entering the house, as no one noticed when I froze dead in my tracks, gazing at the piano. They had already gone ahead, and when I wrenched my eyes away, I caught up and no one noticed my momentary absence.

They had not noticed the piano. It was just another luxury furniture item to them, in a house full of luxuries.

The piano also didn't call to them.

Maura came in the door at this point, and perhaps it called to her, or perhaps it was just because she was Maura, but she exclaimed in delight over it. She ran her gloved fingers reverently over its keys, producing occasional single clear notes that hung in the air like raindrops.

The notes sounded like hope and wishes, tasted like springtime and holidays.

"It's a beautiful instrument. You obviously take exceptional care of it," she complimented the distraught widow, who sobbed a little bit harder.

"It was my husband's. He said he felt like it belonged to him... or he belonged to it." She sniffled, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "He claims it's how he found me."

I pulled my eyes away from the scene, feeling almost as though I was going to have to use my hands to physically turn my head, but eventually managed to get back to my job.

As we were leaving the scene, Maura turned to me. "I've always wanted to learn how to play the piano," she confided with a smile. I grunted non-committedly, and ignored Maura's questioning gaze.

I also ignored the way I had to drag my feet away from the house. And the plaintive call I felt in my bones.

When my hands ached, suddenly throbbing for no good reason, I shoved them in my pockets.

I just kept walking.

_R&IR&IR&I_

It was a long day, and the peculiarity of the scene this morning had all but left my mind when we were handed the signed search warrant that night.

"The widow gave us the key too. She's staying with her sister for a couple of weeks," Korsak told me, and handed me the key. I stared at it in my hand. Its weight seemed disproportionate for its size, I mused. I looked up to ask Korsak if he wanted to keep it till the next day, but he had already walked out the door.

I heard the call again. As I slipped the key in my pocket, I wondered where I'd find the strength to resist it this time.

_R&IR&IR&I_

I knew I shouldn't be there. I had the search warrant in my back pocket, my badge was attached to my belt and I had been given the key, but that didn't make it right.

Because I wasn't there to do a search, even if that was the excuse I had told myself when I drove over. I was there because of _it_. I was there because of the piano.

I didn't dare to turn on any lights. It was 3am in the morning; the whole street was dark. The neighbours were aware of what had happened, but they didn't expect there to be anyone there that late at night.

I'd only been in the house once, but as I walked forward I didn't bump into any tables or chairs; didn't sideswipe any vases with my hip and send them flying. I turned corners, confident in my temporary blindness, and strode straight over to it.

In my head, I felt a quiver of delight; one that I was certain did not come from me.

There was a very small lamp on top of the piano. I turned it on and it lit the area with a soft, ethereal light.

I sat on the stool. My heart was pounding as I slowly, gently, lifted the cover of the piano. The ebony and ivory keys were slowly revealed. I settled my fingers on them, and felt my heart immediately slow its relentless racing.

I felt as though I was home.

My fingers shook as I spread them out over the keys. The first strokes were shaky, unsure, but the next were more confident. I managed to play for about 20 seconds before a sudden cramp in my hands froze them up. I rubbed my hands quickly, put them back on the piano and played for another 15 seconds.

Another cramp hit my hands, more severe this time.

I lowered my head, sighing in defeat as I waited for my hands to slowly unclench. Lowering the lid of the piano, I slowly stood up and made my way out of the house.

I bumped into tables, chairs and almost knocked a vase over on the way out.

I wondered if the piano would miss me.

I thought it already did.

_R&IR&IR&I_

"Do you want to come over tonight?" Maura asked, and I agreed readily. I hadn't been myself since the episode with the piano, and I knew she was worried about me. As soon as I walked in the door at her place, I froze in my tracks. "Do you like it?" Maura asked, worry in her eyes.

It sat in the middle of her lounge room. I didn't know where the rest of her furniture had gone but I didn't care. Possibly it was still there and I was just blind to it. I stared. "How...?"

"She was selling it," Maura replied, coming around and staring at my face anxiously. "She said that she felt like it wasn't needed with her anymore. When I said I liked it, she gave it to me. Do you like it?"

I walked over to it, feeling the call inside me stronger than ever, even as my hands twitched and ached.

"I don't know," I whispered, even though a part of me did know.

She came up and laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Your mum said you used to play." I nodded, but didn't answer out loud. I sat down on the stool again, looking at the keys and my hands curled up into fists, resting on the keys so gently that there was still no sound from the instrument. "You don't anymore." It's not a question but I shake my head anyway. "Not since Hoyt," she continued, and I felt my fists unfurl as I stared down at the keys. "Have you tried?"

"No," I whisper, and the lie surprised me.

She sighed, nudged me over so she can sit next to me. Our shoulders, arms, hips and knees were pressed tightly together as we sat on the tiny seat, and vaguely I wondered how this could feel more intimate than anything I've ever done with a man. "Will you try for me?" she asked.

I spread my fingers over the keys. I touched them as though I was touching a new lover, learning it off by heart. But I also touched them as though I was touching something I already knew and loved deeply; a lover of many years.

Hesitantly, my finger pressed down on one of the keys, and the piano let out one joyful note. As it slowly faded into the air, I touched another and another. There was no melody, no song, just two friends greeting each other again.

I hadn't played the song in many years, but, slowly, my fingers began to seek out the keys and for the first time in many years, I began to sing.

When my hands cramped up only a minute later, it was not unexpected. It was disappointing though, and as I drew my hands back and cradled them against my chest, I felt tears prickling at my eyes.

Maura reached out and touched the keys softly. As joyful as it sounded a minute ago, it now sounded equally as desolate and bleak.

The piano mourned for me.

And for the first time, I realized that I mourned for it.

"Music releases chemicals into your body that make you happy," Maura murmured. I waited for her to start telling me the scientific names for the chemicals, but she didn't. She just turned her head to look at me. "Let me make you happy," she whispered.

I looked at her, blinked. I didn't understand.

"Teach me how to play," she said, "Teach me how to play... for you."

As I guided her hands to rest on the keys, told her to close her eyes and just feel the music, I felt the piano come back to life.

The person it had originally sought out could not play it anymore, but it had still found a new home.

And as I watched Maura's hands gracefully fumble at the keys, I smiled.

END

_Please review. Even if you hated it :-P (but please be nice and tell me how I can improve if you did hate it, okay? :-) haha)_


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